Knitting-machine



(No Model.) 12 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. HOUSE.

KNITTING MAGHINE.

No. 542,055. Patented JulyZ, 1895.

(No Model.) 12 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. A. HOUSE. KNITTING MACHINE.

. M e M 2 w I w .m J r H0 z, w y e m rlii J wk m m h n P .fl/ 5 W m #m.9 6 I 2/ 5 m WW 5 1 w T MM 6 WV My 4 o I W m g (No Model.) J A HOUSE 12Sheets-Sheet 4. KNITTING MACHINE Patented July 2, 1895.

no Model.) -12 Sheets-Sheet 5.

- J. A. HOUSE. KNITTING MAGHINE.

No. 542,055. Patented July 2, 1895.

(No Model.) 12 Sheets-Sheet 6.'

J. A. HOUSE.

KNITTING MACHINE. Y

Patented July 2,1895.

(No Model.) 12 Sheet'sShet 7. J. A. HOUSE.

-,KNITTING MACHINE. No. 542,055. Patented July 2,1895.

(No Model.) 12 Sheets-Sheet 8.

J. A. HOUSE.

' KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 542,055. Patented July 2, 1895.

'wivoe sses. invert/Z07? (No Model.) 12 Sheets-Sheet 9.

J. A. HOUSE. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 542,055. Patented July 2, 189.5.

H hl l l l llllillllllll I Liz 7216s ll'ouse.

(No Model.) 12 Sheets-Sheet 10.

J.A .HOUSE. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 542,055. Patented July 2, 1895.

e 866' du a/wl .256 House (N M el.) Sheets-Sheet 11.

J. A. HOUSE. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 542,055. Patented July 2, 1895.

0/. Ji'ouse,

12 Sheets-Sheet 12.

(No Model.)

J. A; HOUSE. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 542,055. Patented-July 2, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

JAMES A. HOUSE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,055, dated July 2,1 89 5.

Application filed July 2, 1894. Serial No. 516,335- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HOUSE, of Bridgeport, county of Fairfield,State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement inKnitting-lVI-achines, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters andnumerals on the drawings representing like parts. I

This invention has forits object to simplify and improve theknitting-machine shown and described in United States Letters Patent No.479,986, dated August 2, 1892. The machine described in said patentcontains a conical needle-bed provided at its upper end with a series ofpivoted sinkers, the needles being moved in the grooves of the saidbedby a cam-ring adapted to be rotated for circular knitting and to bereciprocated for narrowing and complemental widening, as when knittingheels and toes, said cam-ring containing crossing grooves, one beingdesignated as the knitting and .the other as the non-knitting andtopping groove, said cam ring or plate having at the junction of thecrossing grooves needle-selecting devices, whereby any desired needle ofthe entire series of needles may be employed as the first needle of anarrowing or widening course and any desired needles may be made to knitin the course and be then returned into the nonknitting groove beforeknitting a second narrowing or widening course. i

It will be understood in the machine herein to be described that, inknitting, each needle, whether circular or flat work is being done, istaken from the topping or non-knitting groove into the knitting-groove,and, having made a stitch, is put back again into the nonknitting groovebefore making another stitch, the two grooves having a commoncrossingpoint between the usual drawing-down cams, and at thiscrossing-point are located the needle-selecting devices, composedessentially of a somewhat triangular or heart-shaped directing-camandtwo points, each directed toward the other and located at oppositesides of the point of the directingcam, said selecting devices havingrelative movements one with the other, such as at times to open andclose the passages leading from the non-knitting to the knitting groove.In this instance of my invention I have chosen to show the directing--No. 531,062, dated December 18, 1894, and effect the opening andclosing of the passageways leading from the knitting to the nonknittinggroove, and vice versa.

In accordance with my invention I have de vised novel means forefl'ecting this relative change of position of the points and thedirooting-cam to open and close the passages leading from one to theother groove, according to whether it is desired to knit with the camring or plate moving in one orthe other direction.

In the patent referred to the cam-ring was provided with a series ofbeveled teeth to be engaged bya bevel-toothed wheel, to thus impartmovements to the cam-ring; but herein 1 have simplified thatconstruction by providing the lowerend of the cam-ringwith a flange,which is secured to a toothed ring adapted to slide about the neck ofthe conical needle-bed, such construction greatly simplifyingandreducing the expense of the machine. f

The devices for effecting the relative change of position of theneedle-selecting devices derive'their movement from a lever devicemounted upon the cam-ring, and this 1ever device must be moved at timesin one and the other direction, and this device must be moved soonerorlaterin the movement of the cam-ring, according to the number ofneedles to knit in a given course, the mechanism employed for effectingthis purpose being designated broadly under the term shogging mechanism.

The shogging mechanism represented in the patent referred to consistedessentially of two rings encircling loosely and carried by the cam-ring,said ring having pins which were adapted to be moved by or throughstoprings mounted upon a part of the bed-plate, said stop-rings beingmoved in opposite direc- ICG " --of the guides for the curb in itsvertical tions by means of toothed gears adapted to be rotated in one orthe other direction, as desired, the pins being thus made to approacheach other or to separate one from the other, according to the length ofthe course being knitted, so as to rotate a cam device carried upon thecam-ring. Instead of the four rings referred to I, in this instance ofmy invention, employ two rings provided with cams to cooperate with alever having toes and mounted upon the cam-ring.

In the patent referred to the hollow spindle on which are pivoted thethread-carrying arms, is rotated by a large gear mounted on a shafthaving a pinion engaged by a sliding rack having connected to it ashifting-bar located between two cam hubs or plates, and the shears areclosed by a sliding wedge. I-Ierein I have provided novel devices forretating the said hollow shaft and for operating the shears and havesupported one of the thread-feeding rolls in a yielding bearing. I havealso devised novel means for actuating the rack-bars of the shoggingmechanism and have provided means whereby the change of motion iseffected at desired intervals by or through a pattern-surface.

Figure l is a left-hand side elevation of a knittingmachine containingmy improvements, the framework being partially broken out, the needlebed being omitted, and the thread-feeding mechanism beingalso omitted;

Fig. 1*, a detail to be described. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of theparts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aright-hand side elevation of the partsshown in Fig. 1, the circular curb and parts to contain the needle-bedbeing broken out. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of the machine shown inFig. 1 with the needle-bed and cam-ring in place, together with thethread-guide for presenting thread to the needles, said figure beingsomewhat enlarged from the scale represented in Figs. 1 to Fig. 5 is asectional detail through part of the machine shown in Fig. 4 in the linex 00 ofthat figure, the portions of the machine outside of the curb, tobe described, being omitted.- Figs. 6 and 7 are details to be referredto of parts carried by the main shaft and instrumental in changing fromrotary to reciprocal knitting, and, vice versa. Fig. 8 is a top view ofthe bed-plate of the machine and the parts attached thereto below itstop, said figure showing the spider for receiving the neck of theneedle-bed. Fig. 9 is a detail to be referred to, it showing onemovements, and the raceway instrumental in changing the tension orlength of loops to be knitted. Fig. 10 is a section in the line 00 Fig.9. Fig. 11 is a detail showing part of the cam-ring with its attachedthread-guide. Fig. 12 is a detail showing part of the camring opposite.the threadguide. Fig. 12 shows one of the points or guiding-gatesdetached; Fig. 13, a detail showing the interior of the cam-ring at thepoint where the knitting and non-knittinggroovcs cross, with part of thering containing the gates used to direct the needles from the knittingto the non-knitting grooves, and vice versa, for narrowing and wideningand for circular work, as provided for in the Patent No. 479,986; Fig.13, a detail of the slide for moving the points of the selecting device;Fig.14, a detail showing the lever for moving the points; Fig. 14, adetail of part of.the sinker-actuating cam-ring to show its adjustableshoes. Fig. 15 is a detailshowing part of the devices instrumental inraising the curb. Fig. 15 shows one of the strikers co-operating withthe lug on the sinker-actuating ring. Fig. 16 is a detail showing thelever device and cam instrumental in moving the liftingcircle. Fig. 17is another view of the parts shown in Fig. 16. Fig. 18isadetailshowingthe spline 227; Fig.,19, an enlarged right-hand sideelevation of the thread-presenting mechanism' omitted from Fig. 3; Fig.20, an under side view of the thread-presenting mechanism shown in Fig.19; Fig. 21, a rear end view of the thread-presenting mechanism shown inFig. 19; Fig. 22, a partial top view of the parts shown in Fig. 19; Fig.23, an enlarged detail showing the thread-holding rolls. Fig. 2% shows amodified form of plate to be'used instead of plate 0 of Fig. 22. Fig.25, on an enlarged scale, shows the gearing of the shogging mechanism;Fig. 26, a view of the parts shown in Fig. 25, looking from the left;Fig. 27, a section in the line m Fig. 26, the two shafts 168 and 171being shown in elevation; Fig. 28, a top or plan view of the parts shownin Fig. 27, some of the gears and the hollow.

shaft 16st being shown in section.

The legs or standards A, the power-shaft driven in any suitable mannerfrom a proper counter-shaft and having a set of fast and loose pulleyscontrolled by a belt-shipper g, the gear it, fast on said power-shaftand engaging a larger toothed gear 77., fast on the main shaft 6 of themachine, the snailwheel 6 adapted to engage the teeth of a gear 6 on themonitor-shaft (Z provided with a monitor-wheel adapted to receive andcarry a pattern-chain 61, represented as a broad chain having severalrows of indications suitable to act upon the fingers arranged about it,as will be hereinafter described, said chain being but partially shown,theleverf controlled by said pattern-chain and moving the shipperlever,the notched disk 71 also fast on said shaft 6 and having alongside of ita gear 71 loose on said shaft, the sliding plate or carriage h,connected to said wheel 71. and sliding therein transversely withrelation to the shaft 2 and having a roller 22, which in practice isnormally pressed outwardly through a notch in the flange 23 of saidwheel by suitable springs if, said sliding plate having a coupling-pin21, the shoe e, the vibrator h, loose on the, shaft 6 and having a notch23, adapted to be entered by the pin 21, said vibrator having a suitablelocking-dog 71 which in the rotation of the wheei h is depressed IIO.against its supporting-spring by the contact A made as levers andsupported upon a suitable wire A or equivalent device sustained in theupper end of the conical bed, each of said sinkers being adapted to movein a slot cut in the top of the bed between the usual needle-grooves,the raceway 19 having a projection I), suitably joined by a link 19 to ablock 11 adjustably held by screws in a slot of a pattern-linger f (seeFig. 1) and adapted in its rotation by or through the control of apattern-chain to rise and fall, the tension-lever 0, pivoted upon thecam-ring and having at one end a screw or equivalent device to ride uponthe said raceway and atiitsinner end engaging a pin on and moving theknitting-cam, to thereby cause it to move the needles to make a longeror shorterstitch for a slack course or for giving greater orlessfullness to the knitting in the production of circular Work, are and maybe all substantially as provided for in the said patent, wherein likeletters and numerals are used to designate the parts hereinbeforespecifically re-, ferred to by letters and numerals. In this instance ofmy invention the vibrator h derives its movement from the link connectedto an arm of a rock-shaft it having jointed to it a connecting-rod 7.0fitted at one end over a crank-pin on a crank it", fast on thecontinuously-rotated shaft c and when the coupling-pin 21 is inengagement with the vibrator h then the vibrator oscillates the gear 71and it, in engagement with pinion it rotates the shaft h in one and thenin the other direction for reciprocal knitting or for knitting a fiatweb, as when narrowing and widening; but when the pin 21 of the plate itenters the notch 16 of the continuously-rotating plate 71 then the gear'h will be rotated continuously for roundabout or circular knitting.

\Vhenknitting is to be changed from reciprocal to circular, the shoe a,connected to arm 232 of rock-shaft 233, is turned to throw said shoeaside out of the path of movement of the roll 22, letting the springs72, act to pull the pin 21 from the notch 23 in the vibrator and causeit to enter notch 16 in the plate W, said notch at that time beingopposite the notch 23. The shaft 233 is turned for the purpose statedbyor through lever 235, then' letters in said patent.

chain 61 meets the finger h ,such movement of the lever 235 causing theshoe e to be thrown into position to meet the roll 22 and cause the pin21 to leave the notch 16, and after the pin leaves said notch it travelsover the surface of. thelocking-dog h which is normally held up towardthe plate 72 by a spring, and, passing said locking device, the latterrises under the action'of its spring and closes one side of the notch23, so that the pin 21 during the oscillations of the vibrator h is heldfirmly at each side. i

The devices for moving shoe 6 will be hereinafter described.

I have briefly referred to a means used to rotate continuously or in oneand then in the opposite direction the shaft 72 but this invention isnot limited to the employment of the means shown for imparting themotions described to the shaft 72. and instead I may use any other usualor suitable devices commonly found in knitting-machines of the circularclass adapted to automatically narrow and widen for the production ofheels and toes.

The table-top A mounted on the legs A, has a flange 100, inside of whichis fitted the raceway before described, it having a series of studs Z7which enter inclined grooves of cam-stands b secured to the top plate,or a part thereof, by suitable screws 101. (Shown in Figs. 4 and 9.)This raceway will, in this present invention, be moved as and for theexact purpose fully set forth in said. patent.

The table-top, attached to the legs by suitable bolts 105, as shown bestin Figs. 8 to 10 and in Fig. 3, has a spider composed of depending arms102, radial arms 103, and a ring 104, said spider for cheapness ofconstruction, durability, and stiffness being cast as an integral partofthe table-top; but this invention is not limited to making the spiderand the top in one piece.

The spider is shown as having attached to it by screws 106 suitablebearing-trusses 107 to support parts to be described.

The depending arms 102 have attached to them steel guide-plates .108,having slots 109, which are entered by projections 110 (see Fig. 5) on acircular curb 112, containing the shogging or racking bars 11 and btoothed at their under sides and corresponding substantially with theshogging-bars represented by like In the saidpatent the shogging-barshad only a motion in a circular path; but herein the shogging-bars arecarried within the curb 112, and the latter has imparted to it atsuitable times a vertical movement-that is, it'occupies the positionshown by full lines in Figs. 3 and 5 when cirthe shogging-bar b by apinion 162.

115, and 116 on the shogging-bars to be put into the range of movementof the toes 117 and 118, connected to a lever 119, mounted on a stud 8connected to the cam ring or plate B, the upper end of said lever havinga compound cam-slot s s, which receives in it a stud 3 attached to aslides, fitted into a guiding-groove 5 cut transversely in the innerside of the cam-ring, (see Fig. 13,) said slide having (see Fig. 13)notches s, which receive projections 8 (see Fig. 12) from the rear sidesof the points a a said slide when moved effecting the movements of saidpoints.

As herein provided for, when the stud s is in the upper part 8 of thesaid cam-slot the points a a will stand as represented in Fig. 13 withrelation to the directing-cam a and will cause the butts of the needlesto be moved from the non knitting into the knitting groove; but thedirecting-cam may touch either the point a or a according to thedirection of movement of the cam-ring.

When all-around or circular work is being knitted, the directing-camwill stand next the point a but when reciprocal knitting is being donethe said directing-cam will rest in one direction of movement of thecam-ring against one and then against the other of said points.

When the stud 8 stands in the lower part 8 of the compound cam, then thepoints a and a occupy their farthest position from the directing-cam andall the needles are put from the knitting-groove into the non-knittinggroove. Theshoggingbarb theinnerone is engaged and moved by a pinion 161and The pinion 161 is fast on a shaft 163, while the pinion 162 is faston a sleeve 164, surrounding the shaft 163. The shaft 163 has awormtoothed wheel 165 fixed to'it, while the sleeve 164 has fixed to ita worm-toothed wheel 166, the worm-toothed wheel 165 being engaged androtated by a worm 167, loosely splined on a shaft 168, (see Fig. 27,)having an attached bevel-gear 169, the worm-toothed wheel 166 beingrotated by a worm 170, loosely splined on a shaft 171, having anattached bevel-gear172.

The bevel-gear 169 is engaged by two wheels 173 and 174, either of whichmay be the driver for the shaft 168, according to the requirements ofthe pattern-surface, for it Will be understood that the gears 161 and162 must be moved when narrowing is being done in one directionintermittingly and when widening is being done must be rotated in theopposite direction intermittingly. The bevelgear 172 on the shaft 171 isengaged in like manner by two gears 175 and 176, either of which may bethe driver for the shaft 171.

The vertically-movable curb 112 has bolted to it a stand 112*, saidstand having the bearings for the shafts 16S and 171 and also supportingbetween its upper and lower members the worms 167 and 170, suchconstruction enabling the curb to be moved up and down with relation tothe shafts 168 and 171 and yet always maintain the engagement of thetoothed gears 161 and 162 with the rack-bars b and b The shaft 71. (seeFig. 25,) which when circular knitting is being done is rotatedcontinuously in one direction and which when reciprocal knitting isbeing done is rotated in one and then in an opposite direction, has faston it two pawl-carrying arms 302 and 303, each provided with twospring-controlled pawls, the said pawls being adapted to co-operaterespectively each with its own ratchet-wheel 308 309 310 312, theratchet-wheel 308 being fast to a hollow hub of the gear 174 and theratchetwheel 312 fast to the hub of the gear 175, said gears174 and 1-75being mounted loosely on like hubs 313 of a casting 314, surrounding theshaft h loosely, which latter is suitably supported in bearings of itsown on the frame of the machine, said casting also having bearings forthe shafts 168 and 171.

The ratchet-wheels 309 and 310 are secured respectively to the bevelgear-wheels 173 and 176, as shown, by like screws 313 and 314 said gearsbeing loosely mounted on the hubs of the gears 174 and 175.

The entire set of gears 173, &c., are inclosed in a circular casing orshield 315, preferably made of sheet metal and having near each end asuitable slot, as 316, (see Fig. 27,) of a width sufficient to let oneof the two pawls of the two sets of pawls enter therein and engage theratchet-Wheel which it is designed to actuate, and by moving this casinglongitudinally the said openings maybe put in the range of movement ofeither of said pawls,so that they in their stroke may engage either ofthe sets of ratchet-wheels to rotate the shafts 168 or 171intermittingly in one and then in the other direction, another or thirdposition of the casing 315 preventing any of the pawls from engaging anyof the ratchetwheels, as when the machine is doing circular work and thecurb 112 is lowered, the pawls then resting on the bridge m. y

The casing 315 may be designated aptly as a pattern casing or shield,and it is secured for strength to disks n n, surrounding the hubs of thebevel-gears referred to, the said disks having openings at their centerslarge enough to permitthem to slide unobstructedly in the movement ofthe casing. The casing has in this instance of my invention a stud n,embraced by a lever n mounted pivotally on a stud n and having at itsouter end a suitable link it, which is connected to a suitable finger nadapted to be struck at the proper times and moved by a protuberance onone of the links of the pattern-chain 61.

I have herein shown and described an improved and novel mechanism forimparting the necessary intermitting movements step by step in one andthen in the opposite direction to the bars of the shogging or rackingmechanism; but this present invention is not limited to the exact meansshown, although the best known to me for moving the same,

IIO

and I may instead employ anyother usual or suitable mechanical devices.

The depending portions 102 of the spider have suitable projections 210,(see Fig. 10,) upon which may rest the 'liftingcircle 212, saidlifting-circle havejointed to it at sui able intervals, as at 213, (seeFig. 5,) the lower ends of struts 214, which in turn are jointed attheir upper ends to studs or projections 215, connected to or formingpart of the curb 112, and the curb derives its vertical move ment byimparting a partial rotarymovenient to theliftingcircle 212 to carry thepivotal point of the struts 213 to the right, as represented by dottedlines in Fig. 5, the rotation of the curb being restrained at such timeby reason of the projections 110 in the slots 109, before referred to.To move this lifting-circle 212, I have provided it with a slot 216,(shown in Fig. 8,) in which may enter a toe 217 (shown best in Figs. 16and 17) at the upper end of a lever 218, having a cam projection 219,and entering by its lower end loosely and-being guided in a hole in acrossbrace 220 of the framework. The lever 218 is connected by astud-screw 221 with a fulcrum-lever 222, mounted upon a stud 223, (shownpartially by dotted lines in Fig..16,) which is screwed into a hub 22 1,fast on the bearing-brace 107, said, fulcrum-lever having a cam-toe 225.i I

I have combined with the levers 218 and 222 a cam 226, which is appliedto the shaft 71 before described, so as to he slid thereon, the hub ofsaid cam in this instance of my invention sliding on spline-pins 227,connected to a collar 228, adjustably secured to said shaft, as by aset-screw,as shown, the use of the collar and spline-pins enabling thesplines to be adjusted about said shaft, to thus put the working-surfaceof the cam 226 in exactly the proper position.

It will be obvious that when the cam 226 acts against the cam projection219 of the lever 218 the lifting-circle (see Fig. 3) will he moved fromthe position therein shown to the right to lift the curb and that whenthe cam 226 is in position to strike the cam-toe 225 of thefulcrum-lever 227 the lever 218 will be moved inthe opposite directionto bring the lifting-circle back intothe position shown in Fig. 3 tolower the curb, this being done when reciprocating knitting is to bestopped and circular knitting is, to be commenced. To move this cam, itshuh will be suitably slotted to be embraced by the forked end of a lever229, pivoted at 230 on a suitable part of the framework,apart of saidlever being engaged by a link 231, (see Figs. 3 and 15,) jointed to anarm 232-, fixed to a vertical rock-shaft 233, having at its upper end anarm 234, having a pin which is engaged with a lever 235, having itsfulcrum at 236 in a suitable-stand 235*,at-

tached to the framework, said lever having at its rear end a suitablerod 237, which is connected to a lever-like finger 17", that at propertimes will be acted upon bya suitable roll or projection carried by saidpatternchain 61, said finger I) also moving the switchbar 19instrumental in effecting the thread change, as will be described.

The lever 235 is acted upon by a spring 238, (see Fig. 15,) which servesto normally hold the rock-shaft 233 in such position (see Fig. 15) thatthe shoe 6, pivoted to the end of the arm 232, stands at one side of therange of movement of roll 22 during circular knitting, and when saidlever 235 is moved to eifect the raising of the curb, as described, thesaid shoe is swung aside and put in the range of movement of the roll22, so that it will strike the shoe and cause the coupling-pin '21 toenter the notch in the vibrator h to thuseffect the reciprocation of thecam-ring. The shoe has connected to it a rod 264:,surrounded by a Spring265, contained in a hollow arm 266, fast on the lower end of rockshaft233, said spring normally acting to keep said shoe pressed toward theflange 23 of wheel h The ring 104 of the spider receives in. it the neckA of the conical needle-bed, thesaid neck being connected to said ringby suitable screws 260, (see Fig. 5,) and surrounding this neck looselyso as to slide about it is a ring 261, having out upon it at its underside a series of bevel-teeth 262, which are engaged by the teeth of thebevel-wheel B before scribed. Thering 261 has aflange provided withsuitable holes to receive a series of screws 263, said screws beingextended through an outwardly-turned flange at the lower endrof the camring or plate B. t

The cam-ring is a rather difficult member of the machine to manufacture,and it may be made of less weight and more quickly by omitting from itthe bevel-teeth with which it is usually supplied and by making thecamring detachable from the ring 261, having the teeth. The cam-ring canbe'taken off without unmeshing the teeth 262 from its driving-- tioncontains, as illustrated inthe present embodiment of my invention, apivoted directing-cam a, points a and 8 pointing toward each other andleaving a space between them, in which may be moved -the directing-cam,the directing-cam closing one or the other of the crossings from thenon-knitting or topping groove a into the knitting-groove a the points aa in this instance of my invention being pivoted, as described of theguidinggates in the patent referred to, and being moved positively byappliances at the outside of the plate, as before described, differentdevices, however, from those employed in the said patent.

The detachable section 267 is suitably grooved for the reception ofslides a and ad, provided with drawing-down cams, one of said slides, as(L23, having a pin extended outwardly from its back, which is engaged bythe tension-lever 0, having a screw to regulate the position of theslide. I have shown the said tension-lever as provided with a spring268, interposed between the end of the screw and the top of the raceway,to thereby obviate one trouble arising from the wearing of the screw orof the raceway, and also red ucing friction upon the raceway.

The slide 0. has a suitable pin or projection, which is extendedoutwardly through the section 267, where it is engaged by a slottedplate 269,1)y which to enable the said slide to be adjusted as desired,according to the length of stitch required, it being remembered that thedrawing-down cam on the slide a acts on the needles only in heel-and-toework and when the cam-ring is moving in the direction opposite that inwhich it moves for circular knitting. The section 267 also has connectedto it usual steel plates 0. a to elevate the needles, and switches a anda are employed to prevent the passage of butts of needles from thenon-knitting or topping groove into the knitting-groove, but to let saidbutts pass freely from the knittinginto the non-knitting groove.

The section 267, below the points a a has fixed to it a plate 0.,provided with a lip 0. located in line with the directing-cam (1 saidlip being provided with a concave face opposite the directing-cam, thecurve of said concavity being described substantially from the center ofoscillation of the directing-cam, the points a and a being shielded bythe shoulders at each of the sides of said li-p when the said points aredown, as when the needles are being moved from the knitting into thenonknitting cam-groove during widening and narrowing, substantially asin said patent.

This invention is not limited in all instances to imparting positivemovements to the points a a and the same effect might be produced bypositively oscillating the directing cam a.

The section 267 is attached to the cam-ring by suitable screws 270, andat each end of said section I have attached by screws-400 (see Fig. 4)blocks 401, the removal of either of said blocksleaving a space betweenthe said section and the body of the cam-ring, through which a needlemay be taken out or a needle put in in usual manner.

The cam-ring (see Figs. 4 and 11) has set upon it the slotted foot of astand 271, the said foot being frictionally mounted on the said cam-ringby means or screws 272, extended through a thin steel plate 273, laidupon the said foot, the screws passing through a slot 274 in the saidfoot.

In Fig. 11 the friction plate has been broken out to show the slot belowit.

The extent to which the foot may be moved on or with relation to thecam-ring, or the extent that the cam-ring may be moved after the footcomes to rest, is determined by means of adjustable stops 284:, attachedto the camring. The frictional stand 271 receives a cross-bar 276,pivoted at 277, receiving at its other end a movable bolt or stud 278.The cross-bar 276 receives the screw-threaded shank 279 of thecone-shaped thin metallic thread-rest 01 common to the said patent, saidshank having upon it at opposite sides of said bar suitable nuts bywhich to adjust the shank longitudinally in said bar to properly centerthe thread-rest 61 to the upper ends of the needles used in the machine.The shank 279 referred to supports an arm 280, upon which are mountedsuitable sheaves 28 l, about which the thread or yarn going to theneedles is passed, said yarn also being passed preferably betweenroller-studs 282, fixed on said th read-rest. The thread-rest andthreadgnide 280 281 perform in this machine the samepurpose and functionwith relation to the needles arranged inthe conical bed as fullydescribed and provided for in the said patent.

I have shown the frictionally-supported stand 271 as provided with atail-piece 283, which in the rotation of the cam-ring may strike thestops 275, made as pins set in holes, thus shifting the relativepositions of the thread-guide with relation to the knittingcams,in orderthat the thread to be delivered to the needles when narrowing andwidening is being done may be properly presented to the first needle toknit in the course to be made, and preferablyl mounton the cam-ring (seeFig. 4) stops 284, between which the stand 271 slides.

I have herein shown (see Fig. 14) the sinkeractuating ring A as providedwith adjustable shoes to to bear on the upper end of the projection A ofthe needle-bed, said shoes being acted upon by screws to, the rotationof which enables the cam edge 10 of the said ring to be raised orlowered with relation to the fulcra of the sinkers to thus give to thesinkers the properstopping and starting point in their movements. Theshoes are guided by pins 10 extended through the ring, and theset-screws have combined with them suitable locking devices. (Shown assprings 10 The sinker-actuating ring has a removable gate (1.33 toenable a sinker to be taken out or put in.

The shogging-bar b has fast on it two ad-' justable cam projections 115116, the projection 115 being in the range of movement of the arm 117,while the projection 116 is in the range of movement of the arm 118. Thebar 5 the inner one, is provided with two adjustable cam projections 114and 113, the projection 114 being the lowest and in range of movement ofthe arm 117, while the cam projection 113is in the range of movement ofthe arm 118. The two cam projections 115 and 116 are set close together,because the heels or parts of the arms 117 and 11S nearest thefulcrum-stud :9 meet them; but the projections 113 and lletare separatedsomewhat one from the other, because the toes or points of the said armscontact with them.

, projection 115 is lower than the projection 116 and its point goesunder and overlaps the projection 116.

When the knitting is to be changed from circular or roundabouttoreciprocal knitting for heel and toe work, the curb 112 is raisedquickly, as stated, while the cam-cylinder is moving in the direction ofarrow 1, and the casing 315 is moved to let the pawls referred to, onthe pawl-carriers 302 and 303, act to commence and move the projections113 and 114 toward the projections 115 116 to thus narrow course aftercourse until the narrowest course for the heel or toe has been knitted,the first course on less than the whole number of needles for narrowingbeing knitted when the cam-cylinder is movingin the direction of arrow2, and, the narrowest course having been knitted, the said pairs of camprojections are gradually separated course after course until thewidening complemental to the narrowing has been completed and circularwork is to be resumed. The instep needles are located at the side of themachine. 7

cam-ring is continued in the same direction until all the needles havetheir butts in the non-knittinggroove. Then thecam-ringisre- V versed,(see arrow 2,) and as the heel of arm 118 meets the cam projection 116and restores the lever 119 to the position, Fig. 4, the points areshifted up to the directing-cam to thus catch the first needle of thenumber to knit in the course then to be made. Now, as the cam-ring ismoved in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 4, the arm 118 passes over camprojection 113; but the point of arm 117 hits cam projection 114, andthus againshifts the points to effect the putting of the butts of allthe needles in the further movement of said ring in the direction ofarrow 2 intothe nonknitting groove, and this done the cam-ring isreversed, and on its movement again in direction of arrow 1 the point ofarm118 meets the cam projection 113 and causes the'pointsto be moved tobring the desired number of needles from the non-knitting into theknitting-groove. I

The movement of the rings with their cam projections toward each otherfor narrowing and away from each other for widening is effectedsubstantiallyas the cam-cylinder completes its strokein eitherdirection.

The sinker cam-ringA has a projection 25, which is acted upon by horns tof stop-plates 19, connected to the cam-ring B by screws 6 Theshipper-lever 9 may be moved by hand The through the hand-lever trock-shaft t and slotted arm t embracing the shipperdever.

To keep the rack-bar b from rising in the curb 1l2, it is grooved at itsouter side as at 0, (see left of Fig. 5,) and said groove is entered bytheinturned lip of a plate 0', (see Fig. 1%) attached to the outer sideof the curb 112 by a suitable screw, said lip being extended through aslot in the curb, as shown in Fig. 1. To keep the rack b from rising inrack Z)", the inner side of rack is also grooved, (see Fig. 5,) and saidgroove is entered by a plate or lug 0 attached to ring I) by a screw 011 represents the frame of the thread-presenting mechanism, it beingshown as provided at one end with hubs 11, mounted loosely on arotating-shaft 1-1 having bearings ina cross-head H", adjustably mountedcross grooves having combined with them a v suitable switch, (hereinmarked b 1), both shown as secured to a rod 19 which is adapted to heslid at right angles to the grooves 2 3, or' parallel to the shaft H oneorthe otherot' the said switches lying in and stopping or bridging partof one or the other of said an nular grooves 2 3, as best represented inFig. 21, where the switch 1) stops the annular groove 2, one or theother switch being madeto stop a groove, according to the position inwhich it desired to keep the lever G, pivoted at O and provided at itsouter or free end with a toothed segment 0, said segment engaging apinion a on the hub of a gear a, which engages the-gear a to bedescribed, fast on the hollow shaft a, common to said patent, themovement of the lever O effecting the rotation of the shaft a in one andthen in the opposite direction.

The rear end of the lever O is provided with a pin or stud 300, havingat its lower end a shoe 6, which runs in the grooves of the hub H Thegrooves in the hub H and the switches b I), co-operating therewith, aresuch as to enable the shoe to stand for a longer or shorter time in oneor the other of said annular grooves 2 or 3, the hollow shaft a,carrying the thread-arms a a beingthen at rest with one or the other, orit may be both, the said arms supplying thread, said thread or threadpassing from the eye or eyes of the thread arm or arms a, a to asuitable thread'guide 281, located substantially above the center of theneedle-bed; but when the lever O is to be moved to rotate the shaft aand twist the two threads in the thread-arms together, preparatory tousing either the main thread m or the splicingthread 92 or the mainthread and reinforcingthread, then the slide-rod b will be moved tocause the switch nearest the annular groove in which the shoe 6 thenrests to enter said groove, so that the point of the switch will pass tothe outer side of the shoe as the cam rotates, and will cause the switchto enter one of the cross-grooves and pass entirely into the otherannular groove, such movement rotating the shaft d and the thread-armsto twist the thread; but before such rotation takes place the thread-armhaving the thread being used is moved, as will be described, to causeits thread to be carried laterally in be tween the rolls d and 61,common to said patent, and put it against the other thread next to beused, and then held out of action between said rolls, and the twothreads are twisted together, so that the then active thread may engageand carry with it the inactive thread, and later the thread which is notto be used will be cut off, as will be described.

-In Fig. 21 the shoe is shown in the groove 3, and to cause said shoe toenter the groove 2 the switch I) must be moved to the right. Themovement of the switclrcarrier b is determined automatically by aswitch-changer (shown as a slide-bar Z2 having two horns 1) b said barhaving, as shown, projections 13 Z2 between which plays one end of thefinger or lever I), acted upon in practice, as before described, by asuitable projection on the pattern -chain. Preferably the projections Z119 will be adjustable on the bar [9 and by shifting said bar just inadvance of the time it is desired to move the lever 0 one or the otherof the horns Z7 b will be put into working position to be struck by theswitch-carrier b the latter as soon as it in the rotation of the cammeets a horn being slid in the camslot.

.The shaft 11 has fast to it at one end (see Fig. 21) a bevel-gear 19which is engaged and rotated constantly by the bevel-gear Z2 fast on avertical shaft I), having suitable bearings b", the lower end of saidshaft being in practice provided with a bevel-gear Z3 Fig. 2, which willbe driven from a suitable pinion b mounted on a stud b Fig. 3, saidpinion being engaged by the gear h, fast on the continuously-rotatingshaft 6 The gear a referred to has attached to it an arm 0 (shown bestin Fig. 22,) provided with two horns 10 12, each of which when said gearis at its extreme stroke acts on the lever c of the two like levers c 0common to said patent, and pivoted on the arm 11 of the frame H, saidlevers having at their lower ends like cam-segments 13, which areadapted to be struck by pins 14 at the upper ends of the thread-arms aor 03, pivoted on the head 16 of the shaft 11, the particular pin tostrike the segmentdepending upon which thread-arm is at the front and isto have the thread carried by it removed from between the feed-rolls.

When the thread-arms a a are merely to present a knitting and a splicingthread, as required, to be knitted, one to the exclusion of the other,in a stocking, then .the lever 0 may be omitted, but it will be requiredwhen it is desired to insert into the work with a main thread areinforcing-thread.

NVhenever a pin or projection lat of the thread -arm meets a cam-segment13, the thread-arm will be thrown outwardly away from the center line ofthe shaft a and the thread carried by the arm will be removed frombetween the rolls d d and the thread of said arm so moved out will go tothe needles and be knitted into the fabric.

In Fig. 19 the thread in arm a is supposed to be going to the needles,while the thread in the arm a has its free end held between the saidrolls. Now, if it is desired to use the thread of arm a the lever C willbe started and start the gear a ,and.with the gearstarts the arm 0 andthe horn 10, then holding the lever 0, will retire quickly from saidlever, letting the then contracted U-shaped Wire spring 416 expand andact'quickly to move the arms toward each other and put the thread 72 inthe arm a between the rolls d d, and as the said running thread n isbrought against the stationary thread m then held between said rolls,the rotation of the shaft or will cause the two threads to be twistedtogether, so that the running thread will catch and drag the otherthread with it,and as the gear a completes its movement the horn 12 ofthe arm 0 will again meet the lever c and throw its lower end inwardly,so that the pro jection 14 of the thread-arm (1 then being brought tothe front, is moved to lead the thread m out from between the rolls, andthe other thread left in the rolls is cut off, as will be described,close to the lower side of the rolls.

The journals of one of the thread-rolls (herein shown as the roll (1)are supported in a carrier d mounted loosely on part of the arm H of theframe H, said carrier being acted upon by a very delicate spring (i thusenabling the roll 02 to be pressed slightly toward the roll (1, suchconstruction enabling the rolls to readily adapt themselves to thethickness of the thread and hold and control the same better than whenthe said rolls are in fixed bearings.

The frame H has a cutter-actuating lever D, suitably pivoted thereon atD, and having at one end a pivoted shoe 22 (shown by dotted lines inFigs. 19 and 20,) it entering and.

traveling in the grooves of the hub H as described, of the shoe 6, theshoe of lever D following in the same path as the shoe of lever G, forimmediately the lever O has been moved to effect the rotation of thehollow spindle a, to twist together the threads carried by the arms a aand has then separated the arms, the lever D must act to effect thecutting off of the thread which is not to be used. The lever D has atone enda segmental series of teeth D which engage the teeth of a pinion

